Work Text:
It was no secret how close Steve and Robin were. No one really knew their deal; Dustin seemed convinced they should be dating, but despite their obvious love for each other and the way they seemed to need to have hands on each other at every second or they’d die, they were adamant that their relationship was entirely platonic. Steve would look genuinely disgusted at even the notion of being anything romantic for Robin, and Robin would sigh and shake her head and fake gag every time. It was sort of weird, especially for the kids who truly couldn’t wrap their heads around a boy and a girl being that close and being just friends– despite their friendship with Max, which they insisted was different, because they didn’t kiss Max’s cheek or hold her hand, only Lucas did that.
Nancy, admittedly, found it a little bit strange. There was nothing wrong with it, not at all, it was just… odd. One of those weird little quirks of life she couldn’t fully get.
They made no secret of how much they loved each other. Nancy saw it in how relaxed Steve was around Robin, how he searched for her in a crowded room, looked to her when he didn’t quite catch something or didn’t understand a joke. She wasn’t too familiar with Robin’s smaller details, but she’d dated Steve long enough to recognise when he truly, utterly loved someone. Though he didn’t look at her the way he’d used to look at Nancy, so she knew that they were being genuine every time they shot down Dustin’s theories about them secretly dating.
Even knowing this, having watched them orbit around each other ever since shit went down at Starcourt, Nancy could never have been prepared enough.
When Steve’s eyes rolled back, when his body went rigid and the lights in the Harrington house started to buzz and flicker, the sound that tore it’s way from Robin’s throat was animalistic. She was the first to notice– screeching something awful, a harrowing mix of anguish and stress and pure, unfiltered fear as she stumbled towards her best friend.
Nancy thinks she hears the kids skittering up the stairs looking for Steve’s boombox and tapes, but she’s frozen in her spot. Watching the first boy she fell in love with stand on the edge of death whilst his best friend shreds her vocal chords screaming, crying, begging. She’s shaking him by the shoulders, barely breathing herself as she spews nonsensical pleas.
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no–” She’s speaking so quickly the words meld together, barely understandable. “Please, god, no. Evie, you can’t do this to me, you can’t leave me behind, you can’t. I will never forgive you–” He’s beginning to hover slightly as the kids come sprinting back down, Lucas carrying the boombox and Dustin with an armful of tapes. Nancy notices he’s sobbing too, barely holding himself together and she thinks of how Steve used to tell her he wished he had a younger brother or sister. How it would’ve been nice to have company in this big, lonely house.
Distantly, she realises her eyes are watery, too, but it feels wrong for her to cry. After the things she’d said to him, the things she’d blamed him for in her own grief. When he wakes up, she thinks she’ll apologise, finally. Tell him how she never meant any of it.
Robin is yelling out a song– “It’s ABBA! The King Has Lost His Crown!”– and Nancy is loading it into the boombox, cranking the volume and hitting play. The opening notes fill the air with lyrics that must hit Steve far too close to home, and it’s so painfully, achingly him to have such an upbeat song with such sad lyrics be his favourite.
He’s too far up for Robin to keep her hands on his shoulders, so she’s taken to hugging him around the midsection and wailing. Nancy doesn’t think she’s ever seen anyone cry so hard.
“I love you, I love you so much, Steve.” Her voice is breaking on every word. Desperation dripping off every syllable. “Whatever it is, it’s not your fault. Please. Whatever he’s showing you, I love you despite it. I always will, you know that. We’re– we’re gonna get old together and die together in a loveless marriage ‘cos both of us are romantically hopeless but we’re gonna want the tax benefits eventually, right? We’re gonna get that apartment together and bitch about everything and watch shitty movies and– and have one big wardrobe for all our clothes.” Now she’s having to hold his hands, but they’re barely reachable. The song is halfway over. “You have to fight, Steve, please. I can’t lose you. You’re my best fucking friend. I don’t– I can’t live without you, remember? Toxically codependent!” She tries to laugh, tries to make a joke out of it, but just works her way back into more sobs.
Steve floats just out of her grip, but, bless whatever fucking sadistic God is out there, he’s only there for a second or two before his eyes roll back. He takes a big gasp of air and crashes to the floor, knocking Robin down with him. Not that it matters much– Nancy knows she’d have been down there anyways– and she immediately makes another sound that’ll haunt Nancy’s nightmares as she crawls into his lap and wraps herself around him.
He’s hyperventilating and sobbing and she’s bawling into his shoulder, petting his hair as she rocks them back and forth. Muttering his name over and over like a prayer. Dustin collapses and Lucas follows, wrapping an arm around him.
Nancy never believed in soulmates. They seemed too… illogical. But looking at Steve and Robin, clinging to each other like their lives depended on it, she decided she understood.
Two halves of a whole.
“Robin, Robbie–” Nancy feels herself slowly sink to the floor, also. Watches Steve frantically pat his hands all over Robin’s body, as though checking whether or not she was still there. Realises how fucking close they’d been, just then, to losing him. She doesn’t know how they would’ve coped. Any of them. It’s like it hits her all at once how integral Steve is to their little dynamic– how things would be so much different without him. He’s always been a constant. A dependable shield to lean upon. No matter what went down, whoever you were, you knew that Steve Harrington, if not anyone else, would be by your side and ready to help you however he could.
“You’re okay, I’m okay,” Robin cups his face between her hands and leans their foreheads together, close enough that even their tears probably mixed. She runs her thumbs along each of his cheekbones. “It’s all okay. We’re all fine.” She’s calming down ever so slightly– still hysterical, by all means, but her words are legible now at least. Steve is curled into her touch, seeking it out almost desperately. Clinging to her like she’s his last lifeline.
And… Maybe she is. Maybe she was the only one out of all of them to give Steve somewhere to lean on when times got tough. Nancy couldn’t think of a single instance where Steve had seemed to need any shielding, but he’s endured just as much as the rest of them, if not more. She berates herself for never reaching out– never seeing what had been so clear.
Steve had been suffering; enough for Vecna to use him as a potential victim. Hell– did any of them other than Robin even know his favourite song? If it’d been up to her, she would’ve chosen something from Tears For Fears. She didn’t have much faith in the kids' knowledge, either.
Robin presses a tentative kiss to Steve’s forehead. “You can’t do that to me.” She says, resolute. “Ever again.” The harshness of her tone is failed by the way her words shake, but she tries. Steve gives a weak chuckle. “I mean it, Steve. I– You– I can’t lose you.”
He looks at her with such wonder. Such… awe. Searches her face for something, then pulls her closer. She buries her head in his shoulder and throws her arms around him. He holds her so tightly it almost looks painful. “I’m not going anywhere. Promise. I won’t leave you to deal with Keith alone.” Robin laughs, strained but genuine. Nods.
They’re pulled apart when Dustin and the kids dive in, similarly fretting over Steve and clinging to him like baby monkeys. He gathers all of them in his arms, closing his eyes and holding them near. Robin shuffles back a little, though Nancy notices how she keeps her ankle up against his calf.
They’re not– she wouldn’t say they’re friends. Lukewarm acquaintances, at best. But, still, she shuffles over and takes her hand. Robin whips her head up to meet her eyes. They share a quiet moment, Nancy smiling in a way that she hopes says– “Me too. He’s okay, you’re okay.”
Robin grins a little back. Squeezes her hand. Scrubs at her eyes with the free one. “God– he’s going to kill me one day.” She says, softly. Nancy hums.
“Thank you.” She whispers. Robin furrows her brows a little. “For– for being his friend. Being so good to him. He deserves it.” Nancy can’t help the tears as she says, “None of us– I don’t think any of us could’ve saved him, then. We– I didn’t even know he was struggling that much. I don’t know how.” Robin’s expression softens. She glances towards Steve, briefly, then back to Nancy.
“Of course you didn’t.” Her voice is low, and a bit raspy. It’s lovely. Soothing. “He’s a tough nut to crack. He only comes to me ‘cos I pester him so much. Don’t blame yourself, he’ll have a fit.” Nancy chuckles. Squeezes her hand one more time and nods. Weirdly, with just a few words, she feels so much lighter.
The kids are slowly removing themselves– Dustin far more reluctant than the others– so she swoops in. He accepts her hug with the same vigour that he had the rest of him, arms tight around her shoulders.
“I’m so sorry.” He whispers into her ear, trembling a little. “For everything, Nance. For–”
“Shhh,” She knows they’ll have to have this discussion eventually, she’ll have to apologise. Have that gut wrenching conversation she’s been selfishly avoiding, that Steve was too good to force. But not now. Not while he’s like this, not when Robin had just barely pieced him back together again. “No apologies. I’m just so glad we got you back.” He wilts in her arms, sniffles.
She pulls back and gives him a smile, which he returns. The second she’s out of his space, Robin is back, lacing their fingers together like it’s second nature. Though now, Nancy finds the sight comforting, instead of odd. Especially when Steve turns to her with so much love and appreciation shining in his eyes.